Control device for accounting machines



Jan. 23, 1934. H. c. EINSTEIN I CONTROL DEVICE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINESFiled 001;. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M F,

ATTORN EY Jam. 23, 1934. H. c. EINSTEIN CONTROL DEVICE FOR ACCOUNTINGMACHINES Filed Oct. 25. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT ATTORNEY wwmPatented Jan. 23, 1934 PATENT OFFICE CONTROL DEVICE FOR ACCOUNTINGMACHINES Howard C. Einstein, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by mesneassignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 23, 1929. SerialNo. 401,731

1 Claim. (Cl. 235-58) This invention relates to card accountingmachinery in general, and, in particular, to card sorting, selecting, ortabulating machinery where it is desired to make certain functions ofthese machines operative when and only when cer- Lain predetermineddesignations appear on said cards.

In essence, it comprises an attachment which can be readily incorporatedin machines where it is desired to perform the act of selecting,sorting, listing, or taking a total, etc., when certain cards ofpredetermined designations are presented to the machine.

In particular, it presents a means adapted to sorting machines wherebysuch machines can be set to select or sort out, in one pass through saidmachines, cards bearing designations of a multiplicity of digits. Itfurthermore presents, when several of the attachments are used, meansfor setting the machines to sort out simultaneously a multiplicity ofgroups of cards, the selection of each group being controlled by amultiple digit designation and is adapted to efiect this selection orsorting regardless of the order of the cards presented to said machines.

It furthermore is adapted to listing machines to make the listingmechanism operative or inoperative as desired and consequently topermitthe setting of the machine for the listing of all cards of mypredetermined multiple digit designation or designations as desired, andto prevent the listing of any cards in the group presented to themachine other than those which carry one of said predetermineddesignations, regardless of the order in which said cards are presented.

It furthermore is adaptable to tabulating machinery to the total takingor sub total taking mechanisms to make them operative or inoperative asdesired and consequently to permit the setting of said machine for theobtaining of all totals on all cards of any predetermined designation ordesignations and to prevent the including in said totals quantitiespresented on any other cards in the group presented to the machineexcept such as carry such predetermined designations.

In particular it comprises an attachment, containing certain wheels orgears which may be set to certain predetermined positions, saidpositions corresponding to certain predetermined designations, thesetting of which wheels will cause the machine in which they areincorporated to be set in such a manner that the successive passingthrough this machine of a group of cards (said cards containing avariety of designations respectively, such designations being determinedby holes punched therein, the relative location of the holes'to eachother and the card determining the specific designation) will causecertain mechanical functions of said machine to be operative orinoperative according to whether said designations on respective cardspresented to the machine correspond to the predetermined setting of thewheels of this attachment.

The advantages of the machine will appear from i the followingdescription:

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the mechanism;

Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the mechanism; and

Fig. 3 represents a sectional View taken from section line 33 in Fig. 2-

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I show a series of flexible rods, 1,adapted to be joined to the pin box of any of the various types ofmachines used for sorting, listing, or tabulating; in such a manner thatthere will be one rod for each perforating position, underconsideration, on the cards used in this art. When the pin box 30, 25 ismoved to the right with the sensing pins 27 the pins will press againstthe card 26 and wherever a' perforation appears in the card thecorresponding pin will reach through and engage the rod 1 moving thelatter to the right and causing its upper end to project above the plate4. The position of the rod thus set controls the operation of themachine.

Said rods are supported by flexible hollow tubes, 2, one tube being usedfor each rod, said tubes being fixedly attached to the frame Work of themachine as shown at 3.

I furthermore have additional framework of the machine designated byblock 4, said block being adapted to permit each rod, 1, to be slid- 5ably. mounted therein. Rods 1 are designed to have an increased diameterat d (see Fig. 3). Plates 7a, 7b, and 7c, are adapted to this smallerdiameter and are fixedly attached to block 4. Rods 1 have a collar at e,as shown. A series of springs, 6, in compression between blocks 7a, 7band 7c and the collars e of the rods 1, are shown, one spring 6, foreach rod 1. Rods 1 are adapted to move slidably against the pressure ofthe springs upon being depressed at the pin box end.

The flexible rod casings 2 are attached at their other ends in a plate25. The perforated card 26 being analyzed is stationed between plates 25and 25'. The analyzing pins 27 reach through moved also.

plate 25 and have fixed thereon, collars 28 against which springs 29 areadapted to press. The other ends of these springs rest against a plate30. Plates 30 and 25 together form a pin box which as is well known inthis art may be moved to the right to press the pins against the card.Such pin boxes and the manner in which they operate are shown in U. S.Patent #1245502 dated November 6, 1917. When plate 30 is moved to theright all of the analyzing pins 2'7 will be Those that find perforationsin the card will pass through while the others will be stopped by thecard and the springs 29 will be compressed. The pins that pass throughwill push the flexible rods 1 against the action of their springs 6which are weaker than springs 29 and the terminals of the rods will beraised above the frame or plate 4.

A series of toothed slides or racks 8, one for each row of rods 1, areslidably mounted in the machine in such a manner as to move freely in alengthwise direction relative to block-4. Studs 9 are fixedly mounted inblock 4, one stud for each rack 8. Between each rack 8 and itsrespective stud 9 are mounted springs 10, being tensed in such a manneras to tend to move racks 8 in the direction of studs 9.

Shafts 11, 15 and 20 are mounted in the frame work of the machine. Thearms 12 are fixedly attached as shown on shaft 11. Rotatably mounted onshaft 11 between arms '12 are a series of segmental gears 14, one gearfor each rack 8, and adapted to mesh therewith, each with itscorresponding rack. Each gear contains a slot a as shown. Rod 13 ismounted fixedly between arms 12 and is adapted to move slidably in slota.

Loosely mounted on the shaft 15 are two spaced arms 16 one of which isprovided with a hub projection 23 integral therewith and having a setscrew or nut 24 by which it may be rigidly fixed to the shaft .15. Theouter ends of the arms 16 carry a common rod 17 rigidly attached theretoso that when the set screw 24 is loosened the arms may be moved with therod 1'? as a single unit about the shaft 15. Rotatably mounted on rod1'7 are several gears 18, one for each rack 8. Each of said gears isadapted to mesh with its corresponding rack 8 so as to be rotatedtherebyas the rack moves to the right or to the left. Band springs 19, aremounted in shaft 15, and tensed to bear against gears 18, withsufficient tension to prevent idle spinning when they are out of meshwith racks 8.

Arms 21 are fixedly attached to shaft 20. Between arms 21 is rod 22fixedly attached to both.

One of arms 21 is connected to a link 21a which represents the controlmember of any perforated record controlled machine as shown in Fig. 2,for controlling the sorting baffle'30. A spring 21b is adapted to movelink 21a to the left and a restoring bar 210 moves it back to the right.The bar 210 is connected to the driving mechanism so as to be moved tothe left and then back to the right. The bar 210 is connected to link 35which in turn is connected to a bell crank 36, connected by link 36a toarm 36b pivoted at 37 and provided with a cam follower 38. The followercooperates with a cam 39 on shaft 40 on which is also fixed a gear 41meshing with gear'42 fixed on the main drive shaft 43. If, when the bar210 moves to the left, the link 21a follows the full distance, it willcontrol the machine in one manner. But if link 21a is not permitted tofollow its full distance to the left it will control the machine inanother manner. If, when the bar 210 moves to the left, the link 21a ispermitted to follow its full distance, the shaft 20 will be rockedcounterclockwise correspondingly. If the link 21a is prevented frommoving its full distance to the left the shaft 20 will not be rocked itsfull distance. Whether link 21a moves to the left or not depends uponwhether the notches b in discs 18 are all aligned below the rod 22 ornot.

Shaft 11 may be connected in any desired manner to the driving mechanismso as to rock, first counterclockwise from the position shown in Figure2 and thenclockwise back to this position. For this purpose the arm 12afixed with respect to arm 12 is connected to a link 50 which is providedwith a cam follower 51 cooperating with a cam 52 fixed on a shaft 53 onwhich is also fixed a gear 54 meshing with the gear 42 previouslydescribed. ,In oscillating, it swings arms 12,. through a correspondingarc, thus carrying rod 13 through slots a. Racks 8 are tensed towardstuds 9 by springs 10, being restrained by segment gears 14 which are inturn restrained by rod 13. Hence the oscillation of rod 13 permits themovement of racks 8 toward pins 9 except as said racks are otherwiseinterrupted by other agencies. The movement of each rack 8 causes acorresponding rotation of its respective gear 18.

In the arrangement shown, with no stop rods 1 raised racks 8 will travelthrough the complete range of motion allowed by rod 13; that is, overthe faces of all rods 1, up to the last one in each row. There is onerow of rods for each rack 8 and twelve such rods to each row. I Withgears 18 meshing as shown, this brings notches b directly under rod 22.Rod 22 is brought yieldably against gear 18 by spring 21b and, providingnotch b in each of the gears 18 is in position to receive it, it will befree to swing through its complete cycle or swing. If any rack 8 ismoved through any other distance than the one just described, notch b ofcorresponding gear 18 will not be positioned under rod 22 and said rodwill strike the top of gear teeth and will be reswing or rotate on shaft15 and may be swung by hand on said shaft, carrying shaft 17 and hencegears 18 out of mesh with racks 8. Gears 18 in this position may befreely rotated on shaft 17. Hence gears 18 may be set so that notch b isany desired distance from rod 22 when the gears are again thrown intomesh with racks 8, these racks being at the time, in a neutral position,(that is, the one shown in the drawings). While the gears 18 aredisengaged from the racks 8'the operator can set each gear so that thenotch b will be one or two or three steps away from the rod 22 dependingupon what number on the card is to cause the notch to be moved intoposition directly under the rod 22. In other words, if it is desiredthat a par ticular rack 8 shall be moved to the right until it isstopped by the stop 1 representing the numeral 6 in order to place thenotch b of its gear 18 under the rod 22, that particular gear 18 will beset with its notch six steps away from the rod 22. The operator caneffect this setting by counting the number of teeth in the gear 18 wherethese teeth are equal in distance to the distance between adjacent stoppins 1. Or if desired, the gears 18 may be marked to aid in theirsetting. Also the several stop pins 1 may be set to represent the numberwhich is to control the operation of the machine and then the racks 8may all be moved into engagement with their several stop pins 1 andwhile the parts are in this position, the gears 18 may be lifted out ofengagement with the racks 8 and all of the gears set with the notches bunder the rod 22. The gears may then be moved into mesh with racks 8.Now when the racks.

8 are moved back to their normal positions, the notches b in the gears18will be in various positions but Whenever the racks 8 are stopped bythe stop pins 1, if the number is the same as the original setting, thenotches b will be in alignment under the rod 22 and will permit thecomplete operation of the shaft 20. The setting of the stop pins 1 forthe purpose of stopping the racks 8 so that the gears 18 may beinitially set may be effected by first punching a card 26 to representthe number which it is desired to control the machine on; placing thiscard in the machine and causing the pin-box' with the pins 27 to bepressed against the card to raise the proper stop rods 1.

Assuming a gear 18 is set to bring notch b four positions from rod 22and then thrown into mesh with rack 8 and set screw 24 again tightened,the machine operations would be as follows:

As each card is analyzed by the sensing pins 27 the rods 1 will be setin accordance with the perforations in the card. If the'fourth hole ofthe column in question in the card is perforated, the fourth rod 1, inthe column of rods corresponding thereto will be raised thus presentingan obstruction in the path of the corresponding rack 8,, four positionsfrom the neutral position shown.

As arms 12 swing counterclockwise thus releasing the several sectors 14,the springs 10 will pull the several racks 8 to the right until they arestopped by the raised stop rods 1. Where in a particular column thefourth stop rod 1 has been raised the corresponding rack 8 will bestopped in the fourth position. As notch b on the correspondinggear18had been previously set a distance equivalent to four positions, fromrod 22, gears 18 are brought to rest with notch b directly under rod 22.a perforation in the designated column of the card presented, at anyother position than the one corresponding to the fourth position, notchb would not be brought to rest beneath rod 22. The same reasoningapplies to the other series of gears, racks, and pins shown. In otherwords, if 2 is punched in the particular column instead of 4 the notch bwill stop short of the position the column the notch will move beyondthe rod It is obvious that with 22. In either of these instances the rodwill be prevented from rocking into the notches.

Consequently, if the desired designation is a five column number, as,for example, 56821, the setting of gears 18 is made correspondingly.That is, notch b on the first gear 18 is set 5 steps from rod. 22, thesecond gear 18 on the same shaft 17, is set six steps from the same rod22, and the other gears will be set accordingly. Thus, upon actuation asdescribed above, notch b on the first gear will be brought to restbeneath rod 22 only when the rod 1 corresponding to the number fiveposition in that particular column, is raised. To effect this result forthe second gear, the rod in the number six position in the second columnis raised. To bring the other three gears to rest with their respectivenotches b under rod 22, rods 1 in positions 8, 2 and 1, respectivelymust be raised.

Upon bringing rod 22 into yieldable contact with all five gears, it willbe precluded from seating itself in the notches b on the various gearsunless all five notches b on the various gears are in the rest positionunder this rod simultaneously; in other words, only when the 130 number,in this case 56821, appears in the appropriate location on theperforated card in question.

After a record card 46 has been analyzed by the sensing pins 27 andreleased thereby as shown in Fig. 2, it will drop into one or the otherof the receiving pockets 47, 48, depending upon the position of thesorting bafile 30. This baflle is connected to the link 21a. Normallythe bafile is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the card will dropinto the pocket 47 but when the sensing rod 22 encounters a row ofnotches b and the link 2la'moyes its full distance to the left, thebaflle will be moved far enough to deflect the card and cause it to fallinto the pocket 48. Such sorting pocket structure is shown in HollerithPatent No. 1,030,305, dated June 25, 1912 and Wright Patent No.1,287,558, dated December 10, 1918.

It will be understood that when the rod 22 is rocked downwardly, if itencounters all of the notches b the shaft 20 will turn counterclockwisea predetermined distance but if any one of the notches b is not underthe rod 22 the shaft 20 will be prevented from turning suchpredetermined distance. i

I claim:

In a device of the class described, a plurality of rows of perforationsensing elements,'a plurality of slidable racks controlled by saidelements, a plurality of gears meshing withsaid racks to be turnedthereby, said gears having control notches therein, a rod adapted toreach into the notches when they are all aligned, means for moving saidrod to test the setting 13,. of said gears, and a machine control memberadapted to be controlled in accordance with the position of said rod.

HOWARD C. EINSTEIN.

